VA Bedford selected as location for VVMF 2022 The Wall That Heals tour

The 27th season of The Wall That Heals will begin on March 24, 2022, in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and visit 29 communities during the year. The traveling exhibit honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Vietnam War and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

“We are excited to announce that The Wall That Heals will be visiting 29 communities in 2022. We look forward to providing these communities with a healing experience for local veterans and their families and an educational experience for all visitors on the continuing impact of the Vietnam War on America,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF. “VVMF’s mission is to honor and remember all those who served in the Vietnam War and we are ready to work with our 2022 hosts to deliver a safe opportunity for thousands to experience the healing and educational aspects of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 2022.”

Each year, VVMF receives more applications to host the exhibit than can be accommodated. For the 2022 tour schedule, preferential consideration was given to cancelled sites from the 2020 tour that reapplied for 2022.

The Wall That Heals 2022 Tour dates include:

• Bay St. Louis, Miss. March 24 – March 27
• Garner, N.C. March 31 – April 3
• Crawfordsville, Ark. April 7 – April 10
• Knoxville, Tenn. April 21 – April 24
• New Castle, Del. April 28 - May 1
• Findlay, Ohio May 5 – May 8
• Belvidere, Ill. May 12 – May 15
• Winchester, Ind. May 19 – May 22
• Erie, Pa. May 27 – May 30
• Norwalk, Conn. June 2 – June 5
• Chisholm, Minn. June 23 – June 26
• Franklin, Wis. June 30 – July 3
• Chicago Heights, Ill. July 7 – July 10
• Battle Creek, Mich. July 14 – July 17
• Eagan, Minn. July 21 – July 24
• Winsted, Minn. July 28 – July 31
• Tama, Iowa August 4 - August 7
• Kearney, Neb. August 11 – August 14
• Mead, Colo. August 18 – August 21
• Payson, Ariz. August 25 – August 28
• Warrenton, Mo. September 8 – September 11
• Middletown, N.Y. September 15 – September 18
• Bedford, Mass. September 22 – September 25 at VA Bedford Healthcare System
• Methuen, Mass. September 29 – October 2
• Sayre, Pa. October 6 – October 9
• Charlotte, N.C. October 20 – October 23
• Anahuac, Texas October 27 – October 30
• San Antonio, Texas November 3 – November 6
• Cabot, Ark. November 10 – November 13

The Wall That Heals is generously sponsored by USAA. Through a partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), the trucking industry, and Blue Beacon, the exhibit is able to travel across the country. Hosts in each community provide for the location, volunteers, and preparations necessary to replicate the experience a visitor would have at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.

VVMF will work closely with each community to maintain and exceed health and safety standards as established by the appropriate federal, state and local authorities.

“Nothing is more important to VVMF than the health and well-being of our Vietnam veterans and their families. We will work to provide the best visitor experience while keeping the safety of our staff, volunteers and visitors at top of mind,” said Knotts.

Since its debut in 1996, the exhibit has been on display in nearly 700 U.S. communities in addition to an April 1999 tour of the Four Provinces of Ireland and a visit to Canada in 2005. The Wall That Heals is a program of VVMF, the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. in 1982. The Wall That Heals is the only traveling exhibit affiliated with The Wall in Washington, D.C. and includes the largest Wall replica that travels the country. Two VVMF staff members lead volunteers on site, educate visitors and
students, and ensure the reflective atmosphere of The Wall. More information can be found at:
www.thewallthatheals.org.

About The Wall replica

The three-quarter scale Wall replica is 375 feet in length and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. With the replica at this size, visitors are able to experience The Wall rising above them as they walk towards the apex, a key feature of the design of The Wall in D.C.

Like the original Memorial, The Wall That Heals is erected in a chevron-shape and visitors are able to do name rubbings of individual service member’s names on The Wall. The names are listed in order of date of casualty and alphabetically on each day. Beginning at the center/apex, the names start on the East Wall (right-hand side) working their way out to the end of that wing, picking up again at the far end of the West Wall (left-hand side) and working their way back in to the center/apex. The first and last casualties are side by side at the apex of the Memorial.

The replica is constructed of Avonite, a synthetic granite, and its 144 individual panels are supported by an aluminum frame. Modern LED lighting from the top of The Wall provides readability of The Wall at night.

About the mobile Education Center

The Wall That Heals is transported from community to community in a 53-foot trailer. When parked, the trailer opens with exhibits built into its sides, allowing it to serve as a mobile Education Center telling the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the divisive era in American history.

The mobile Education Center exhibit includes: digital photo displays of “Hometown Heroes” - service members whose names are on The Wall that list their home of record within the area of a visit; digital photo displays of Vietnam veterans from the local area honored through VVMF’s In Memory program which honors veterans who returned home from Vietnam and later died as a result of their service; video displays that teach about the history and impact of The Wall; educational exhibits told through items representative of those left at The Wall in D.C.; a replica of the In Memory plaque; a map of Vietnam and a chronological overview of the Vietnam War. The exhibits tell the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the era surrounding the conflict, and are designed to put American experiences in Vietnam in a historical and cultural context.

About VVMF

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) in Washington, D.C. in 1982. VVMF continues to lead the way in paying tribute to our nation’s Vietnam veterans and their families. VVMF’s mission is to honor and preserve the legacy of service in America and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War and era through programs, ceremonies and education materials. To learn more about VVMF, visit www.vvmf.org or call 202-393-0090.

 

Kat Bailey, VA Heart of Texas Healthcare Network Chief Communications Officer

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